Americas Rugby Championship

[rowan]

Uruguay had a good 2-0 series win in Namibia last year. No other tier 3 team could do that. The likes of Russia, Germany and Spain have failed in recent years. They're gaining a lot of experience through the ARC, South American Champs, Pacific-Americas challenge and the Teros' involvement in Argentine domestic competitions, of course. If other tier 1 sides helped out their neighbours as much as Argentina, we'd have a truly global game.

[rowan]

Next ARC fixtures

ROUND 1

Jan 27th, Sat - Canada vs Uruguay, BC Place (Vancouver). Kick-off: 17:10 hs (Pacific Time) 29-38

Feb 3rd, Sat - USA vs Argentina XV, StubHub Center (Carson). Kick-off: 17:10 hs (PT)

Feb 3rd, Sat - Chile vs Brazil, Estadio La Pintana (Santiago). Kick-off: 15:10 hs (Local Time)

ROUND 2

Feb 9th, Fri - Brazil vs Uruguay, Estadio Pacaembú (Sao Paulo). Kick-off: 20:10 hs (LT)

Feb 10th, Sat - Argentina XV vs Chile, Estadio Agustín Pichot (Ushuaia). Kick-off: 17:40 hs (LT)

Feb 10th, Sat - USA vs Canada, Papa Murphy’s Park (Sacramento). Kick-off: 15:10 hs (PT)

ROUND 3

Feb 17th, Sat - Canada vs Brazil, Westhills Stadium (Langford). Kick-off: 12:30 hs (PT)

Feb 17th, Sat - USA vs Chile, Titan Stadium (Fullerton). Kick-off: 15:00 hs (PT)

Feb 17th, Sat - Uruguay vs Argentina XV, Estadio Domingo Burgueño (Maldonado). Kick-off: 21:15 hs (LT)

ROUND 4

Feb 24th, Sat - Brazil vs USA, Estadio Martins Pereira (Sao José dos Campos), Kick-off: 18:10 hs (LT)

Feb 24th, Sat - Chile vs Uruguay, Estadio La Pintana (Santiago). Kick-off: 15:00 hs (LT)

Feb 24th, Sat - Argentina XV vs Canada, Estadio 23 de Agosto (Jujuy). Kick-off: 17:40 hs (LT)

ROUND 5

Mar 3rd, Sat - Chile vs Canada, Estadio La Pintana (Santiago). Kick-off: 13:10 hs (LT)

Mar 3rd, Sat - Uruguay vs USA, Estadio Charrúa (Montevideo). Kick-off: 15:40 hs (LT)

Mar 3rd, Sat - Brazil vs Argentina XV, Estadio Martins Pereira (Sao José dos Campos). Kick-off: 18:10 hs (LT)

[rowan]

Chile v Brazil live:

Hosts Chile start with a penalty try as a Brazilian defender knocks the ball out of play with his hand just over the try-line. Lucky he's not in the bin, though I think it was just inexperience on his part.

Brazil playing with more composure now, leading 7-10 HT. Small stadium, crowd about 1000

Brazil still ahead 14-16 into the final minutes.

Brazil penalty, injury time, should seal it, misses but no injury time will be played! 14-16 Brazil win. They went to Chile and beat the Condores! How they have improved these last few years

Seems like a lot of videos can't be embedded these days. Ok, so hop across to the World Rugby site if you want to watch it there...

[rowan]

Uruguay - Canada now, the World Cup qualifying return leg. Canucks come out firing, 0 - 8 !

Much more intensity. Bigger crowd. Uruguay's aggregate lead has already been cut to 1 point...

All Canada. They are so fired up! 0-15 and one-way traffic. Looks like they'll be in Japan after all.

So all of a sudden it's Uruguay with the task ahead of them. Canada lead the series by 6 on aggregate right now.

Missed about 5 or 10 mins there and return to find Uruguay back in the game, 10-15 behind approaching HT. So that this stage it's Uruguay lead by 4 on aggregate.

HT 10-18 Canada but Uruguay with the 1 point lead on aggregate. Couldn't be closer!

Now it's Uruguay who come out firing, score a try, 15-18, and the momentum really seems to have turned. Right now it's Uruguay going to the World Cup! But still a long way to go...


Live on World Rugby's Facebook page:

[rowan]

Chip & chase sees Uruguay score down the right wing and take the lead for the first time, fantastic conversion, 25-21 with 15 remaining. Canada 13 behind on aggregate!

Canada score again from their rolling maul. Back in front 25-28 with 10 to play. Uruguay lead on aggregate by 6. Wow, this is exciting stuff Oh, sorry, conversion hit the upright. Crucial miss. Canada still must score twice.

Dumbest play ever by Canada, dude tries to keep a Uruguay kick from going out, taps it straight back to a Teros player who scores what should be the clinch. Uruguay lead 32-28 but have that 13 point advantage back on aggregate with 5 mins to play. Canada just threw their chances away...

Canada then proceed to give away a free kick while attacking Uruguay's line! Uruguay is going to Japan, folks

FT Uruguay 32 Canada 31. Teros off to Japan. Canada into the repechages. Great day in South America so far, unless your Chilean, after Brazil edged hosts Chile 14-16

[rowan]

First time Canada has failed to qualify directly for the World Cup. Uruguay qualify for the third time, and this is the second time they have done so directly.

Interestingly, Canada were in such a hurry to kick the conversion for their late try they missed and thereby forfeited the ARC points as well. No doubt they were hoping there was still time for one more play - and a miracle - but that was not to be and they came away with nothing.

[rowan]

USA defeated Argentina A 17-10, so pretty much a round of upsets (if not according to the rankings).

[rowan]

[rowan]

Argentina XV leading Chile 24-5 at HT. The match is being played in Ushuaia, southernmost test venue in the world, although it is actually only the same distance from the equator as Newcastle, Belfast, Gdansk and Vilnius, for example.

Update: 43-12 - almost over
Update: 50-12 - actually still 10 minutes left
FT: 57-12

Earlier today the Jaguares were beaten in a Super Rugby warmup by the Bulls - 21-12

[rowan]

US 29 Canada 10

[rowan]

[rowan]

USA leading Chile 10 - 3 after half an hour. Live at World Rugby site.

FT 45-13

[rowan]

Canada 45 Brazil 5
Uruguay 17 Argentina XV 34

[rowan]

[rowan]

Standings after round 3:

1. United States, 14 pts (3 wins, 0 losses)
2. Argentina XV, 11 pts (2 wins, 1 losses)
3. Uruguay, 9 pts (2 wins, 1 losses)
4. Canada, 6 pts (1 wins,2 losses)
5. Brazil, 4 pts (1 wins, 2 losses)
6. Chile, 1 pts (0 wins, 3 losses)

ROUND 4

Feb 24th, Sat - Brazil vs USA, Estadio Martins Pereira (Sao José dos Campos), Kick-off: 18:10 hs (LT)
Feb 24th, Sat - Chile vs Uruguay, Estadio La Pintana (Santiago). Kick-off: 15:00 hs (LT)
Feb 24th, Sat - Argentina XV vs Canada, Estadio 23 de Agosto (Jujuy). Kick-off: 17:40 hs (LT)

ROUND 5

Mar 3rd, Sat - Chile vs Canada, Estadio La Pintana (Santiago). Kick-off: 13:10 hs (LT)
Mar 3rd, Sat - Uruguay vs USA, Estadio Charrúa (Montevideo). Kick-off: 15:40 hs (LT)
Mar 3rd, Sat - Brazil vs Argentina XV, Estadio Martins Pereira (Sao José dos Campos). Kick-off: 18:10 hs (LT)

[rowan]

Some big lads in the US backline

[rowan]

[rowan]

[rowan]

US becomes first team to achieve the grandslam:

1. USA 5 5 0 0 195:68 20
2. Argentina B 4 4 0 1 169:69 14

3. Uruguay 5 3 0 2 168:157 13
4. Canada 5 2 0 3 132:129 10
5. Brazil 4 1 0 4 55:129 4

6. Chile 5 0 0 5 79:246 1

[rowan]

After the resounding success of the first three seasons of the Americas Rugby Championship, the continent will inaugurate a new performance tournament for countries in Sudamérica Rugby and Rugby Americas North. The Americas Rugby Challenge will be played from August 24 to September 1st in Medellín, Colombia.

The first edition of this new tournament created by Rugby Americas will be run by the Federación Colombiana de Rugby, which has chosen the city of Medellín to host it; the venue will be the Estadio Cincuentenario.

Two representatives from each region will take part: Guyana and Mexico will represent the North and host Colombia and Paraguay will represent the South.

Each team will play three games in the round-robin tournament – Sunday August 26 and Wednesday August 29, with the final round set for Saturday September 1. The winner will be the team with the most tournament points.

Paraguay and Colombia are in the 40th and 41st World Rugby Ranking positions and are the best ranked teams after the four participants in the Championship.

Guyana arrives as 2017 RAN Senior Men’s Champion and Mexico has been invited because of its Major Market designation.

For the 2019 Americas Rugby Challenge, and in subsequent years, the two RAN teams will be those which qualify first and second in RAN qualification.

World Rugby Vice President and Americas Rugby Chairman Agustín Pichot, said “It is a great honour to announce the dates, venue and participating teams for the newest tournament for the continent. We see competitions as the key factor in growth and to have four teams competing in a tournament such as this is great news for rugby in the Americas.”

https://rugbyamericasnorth.com/americas ... ing-teams/

[rowan]

Canadian perspective on the upcoming World Cup qualifying repechage tourny: https://theprovince.com/sports/rugby/ke ... se-all-set